We recently launched a new product, the Fitness for Duty with Violence Screen (FFD-VS), that provides a highly-specific approach to assessing whether a person can safely do their job, and if they have a propensity towards violence. We believe there’s a value to this type of customized, highly-specific approach.
It’s similar to the “build or buy” question in software, really – is there an “off the shelf” product that can do what you need, or do you need to build something that you know will get the job done exactly the way you want, or need, to have it done. Generally, the second option comes at a greater cost. The first option may not meet all your needs, and is slightly more rigid in what it can provide. Sometimes off the shelf is all you need, or may be what you can afford. Some situations require the flexibility of a custom solution, and warrant the greater cost.
Our approach to the FFD-VS, and our overall product suite, is similar. Many of our customers really need nothing but a standard Fitness for Duty assessment (FFD). The person being assessed has never shown any tendency to violence, and the organization is simply following their policy of performing an FFD. These customers shouldn’t be required to pay for the additional violence screening, nor should the person being assessed have to go through the additional rigor of the violence screen. But in cases when there’s a serious question about a propensity towards violence, the additional rigor and flexibility of the FFD-VS is certainly warranted, for the safety of the person being assessed, and those around them. The additional screening may also help the person being assessed avoid future problems, by pointing them towards appropriate treatment.
So for R3, we believe in providing both approaches – the standard approach that is needed most often by most customers, and the more custom approach that provides flexibility and additional service when needed.
About the Author: George Vergolias, PsyD, LP is a forensic psychologist and threat management expert serving as Vice President and Associate Medical Director for the R3 Continuum. He currently serves as Associate Medical Director of R3 Continuum, leading their Threat of violence and workplace violence programs. Dr. Vergolias is also the founder and President of TelePsych Supports, a tele-mental health company providing involuntary commitment and crisis risk evaluations for hospitals and emergency departments. He has over 20 years of forensic experience with expertise in the following areas: violence risk and threat management, psychological dynamics of stalking, sexual offending, emotional trauma, civil and involuntary commitment, suicide and self-harm, occupational disability, law enforcement consultation, expert witness testimony, and tele-mental health. Dr. Vergolias has directly assessed or managed over one thousand cases related to elevated risk for violence or self-harm, sexual assault, stalking, and communicated threats. He has consulted with regional, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Secret Service, and Bureau of Prisons. He has worked for and consulted with Fortune 500 companies, major insurance carriers, government agencies, and large healthcare systems on issues related to work absence management, workplace violence, medical necessity reviews, and expert witness consultation.
